Paper 2 Notes Themes: 1. The American drive toward progress and success a. Both are victims of modernity i.

Willy 1. Cannot compete against the young men in the modern business world ii. Blanche 1. Cannot adapt to the coarseness of life in the new South iii. Rather than adjusting, both descend deeper into their idea of the idealized past, until they lose hold on reality altogether 2. Women: Stella and Linda a. Submissive Characters i. Stella: Supports and forgives her husband, defending him against criticism ii. Linda: Meek/timid around Willy 3. Reality vs. Illusion a. Blanche i. Prefers niceties and illusion ii. Wants to give the impression of being perfect to sell herself to others b. Willy i. Tells his family he makes more money than he does ii. The woman affair is more of a self-booster 1. Only hooked up with her after failing sales

1. The American drive toward progress and success a. Streetcar Named Desire 1)Blanche: I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action. Old South values vs. New South values 2) b. Death of a Salesman 1)Willy: Not a breath of fresh air anywhere in the neighbourhood. They outta make apartment buildings illegal. 2)Willy: I dont want to change, I want Swiss cheese. 3)Willy: Ben was rich! Thats just the spirit I want to imbue them with! To walk into a jungle! I was right! I was right! I was right! Willy interprets Ben's tangible wealth as proof of the worth of his family
and himself. He wants his son to be like his brother unafraid to go out and make their own success.

4)Willy: Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people? 5)Willy: I am building something with this firm, Ben, and if a man is building something he must be on the right track, musnt he?
Ben implies that physically tangible results are central to a definition of progress and success. He sees no true value in Willy's life as a salesman.

6)Ben: The jungle is dark but full of diamonds, Willy. [] Ben [with greater force]: One must go in to fetch a diamond out.

[] Ben: Not like an appointment at all. A diamond is rough and hard to the touch.
Ben's refrain, with words like "hard" and "touch" suggests the importance of concrete wealth. Willy is haunted by the fact that his life of work hasn't really amounted to anything tangible.

2. Women a. Streetcar Named Desire 1)Stella: He smashed all the lightbulbs with the heel of my slipper. Blanche: And you let him? Didn't run, didn't scream? Stella: Actually, I was sorta thrilled by it 2) b. Death of a Salesman 3. Reality vs. Illusion/Appearances a. Streetcar Named Desire 1)Blanche: You know I havent put on one ounce in ten years, Stella? I weigh what I weighed the summer you left Belle Reve. 2)Stella: And admire her dress and tell her shes looking wonderful Thats important with Blanche. Her little weakness! 3)Blanche: I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action. 4)Blanche: And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I wont be looked at in this merciless glare! 5)Blanche: I know I fib a good deal. After all, a woman's charm is 50% illusion. 6)Blanche: I don't want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic. I try to give that to people. I do misrepresent things. I don't tell truths. I tell what ought to be truth. 7)Stella: She is. She was. You didnt know Blanche as a girl. Nobody, nobody was as tender and trusting as she was. But people like you abused her, and forced her to change.
Blanches charms helped her socially when she was younger, but hurt her after she matured into adulthood. Stanleys pragmatism is far more suited to the real world than Blanches poetry and flirtations.

b. Death of a Salesman 1)Willy: As long as youre well liked youll be fine. 2)Willy: If a man is building something, he must be on the right track. 3)Willy: When that team came out- [Biff] was the tallest, remember? Linda: Oh, yes. And in gold.
Willy and Linda place great importance on Biff's appearance when he was a high school football star, as if that had something to do with his talent. The very fact that he was so attractive made them positive that he would one day be successful.

4)Willy: Hes heading for a change. Theres no question, there simply are certain men that take longer to getsolidified. How did he dress? Linda: His blue suit. Hes so handsome in that suit. He could be aanything in that suit! 5)Willy: [turning to Ben]: Business is bad, its murderous. But not for me, of course. Actually ends up killing him, heh. 6)Willy: In 1928 I had a big year. I averaged a hundred and seventy dollars a week in commissions.

Howard: Now Willy, you never averaged Willy: I averaged a hundred and seventy dollars a week in the year of 1928! 7)Biff [crying, broken]: Will you let me go, for Christs sake? Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens? 8)Willy: Oh, Biff! [staring wildly] He cried! Cried to me. [He is chocking with his love, and now cries out his promise.] That boythat boy is going to be magnificent!
Despite Biff's admission that he is a failure, Willy convinces himself that Biff will still make it big. Willy follows this delusion to his death, killing himself in order to help his son.